People are the Prize

See The Greater Purpose

A man was walking down the street when he came upon a construction site. Seeing a worker engaged in his duties the man asked, “What are you doing?”

The worker replied without looking up, “I’m doing my job.”

The man continued to walk down the street when he came to the end of the construction site. Seeing another worker doing the exact same thing he asked, “What are you doing?”

This worker joined the man on the sidewalk and fanning his hands out in the direction of the construction site smiled and said, “I’m building a church.”

How we see ourselves and those around us will determine how we behave. The greater we view our purpose, the greater our motivation and therefore the greater our results. A lot of our success will have to do with seeing the greater purpose.

What do I mean?

Don’t stand outside during morning arrival to only record bus numbers—go there to welcome your kids. And you should be braving the snow, the heat, or the rain every morning. What a great opportunity to prove that you just don’t take the easy jobs while dishing out the hard ones. After all, you’re a leader and not a doorman.
–See the greater purpose.

Don’t stand in the hall during classroom change because you’ve been ordered to—go there to be with your kids. And you should stand in the halls during every class change. What a great opportunity to be available to your kids should they need you. After all, you’re a mentor and not just a hall monitor.
–See the greater purpose.

If you’re a principal, don’t go inside the classroom to only observe the teachers—go there to help. And you should be spending time in the classrooms since this is where it all happens. What a great opportunity to lend a hand to a peer as well as teach a child. After all, you’re an educator and not a building manager.
–See the greater purpose.

Don’t go into the lunch room to ‘control the inmates’—go there to be with your kids. And you should be in the lunch room every day. What a great opportunity to laugh and talk with your kids. After all, you’re a friend and not a prison guard.
–See the greater purpose.

Don’t do crisis drills because you’ve been ordered to do so by the superintendent. And you should be doing crisis drills, but not just going through the motions. What a great opportunity to make your kids safer. After all, you’re standing in place of the parents and not just a district employee.
–See the greater purpose.

Don’t see your job as only a job. It’s really easy to fall into this habit, but it profits you and everyone else around you very little. Take the opportunity after this long break to refocus your effort and dedication to remember that there is a lot more to this than ‘just doing your job’. Remember to see the greater purpose.

Don Shomette is a trainer, speaker, consultant, and owner of People are the Prize, a violence prevention company that helps people to prevent and survive a school attack. He has spent a lifetime working with police officers and principals and is consistently evaluated by those who attend his trainings as one of the best instructors ever. Don challenges, entertains, and helps school personnel to think of preventing violence in a new and positive way.